Definition of Atheist

by ZeusRocks 116 Replies latest jw friends

  • bohm
    bohm

    tec: How can you know there is no tooth-ferry with certainty? how can you know the earth is round with certainty?.

    its in that sence dawkins use the word (as do all scientists).

    Most atheists know there is no God, in the same way that most theists know there is a God.

    Who? What do you base that on? Dawkins is certainly not amongst them, nor am I. There may be a god just as there may be a tooth ferry; only mathematics deal with certainty.

  • thetrueone
    thetrueone

    To be totally honest the god question should be placed in the possibility list without evidence, to withhold the statutes of intellectual honesty.

    A true atheist doesn't believe in matters of spiritualism.

  • tec
    tec

    I didn't make my point, and so you'll please forgive the leading questions and just play along for a moment?

    Do you believe there is a God, Bohm?

  • bohm
    bohm

    tec: Depends on the definition, but short answer using common definitions: no.

    But that does not mean i believe it is impossible. Like i dont believe it is impossible the earth is flat.

    Scientists only deal in probabilities. they are never 0 or 1. not even with respect to the tooth fairy or the round earth, and thus not with respect to God.

  • tec
    tec

    Also, I was asking how that was for an explanation - meaning is it suitable or not. Not whether or not I thought it WAS the explanation. It just sounds feasible to me.

  • bohm
    bohm

    tec - sorry, misread you. With respect to the last question, i would perhaps say it like this:

    Most atheists believe there is no God like they believe the universe expands.

    The key difference is, imho, that atheists treat God like just another scientific hypothesis.

  • tec
    tec

    Okay - so with a very limited possibility that you are wrong, (even though you don't personally think that is wrong, but as a scientist or mathematician you HAVE to acknowledge that), you don't believe in God.

    My definition was comparing that thought (those probabilities) with HOW the average theist feels. The biggest difference is that there is no loyalty or disloyalty or any emotion whatsoever for an atheist to admit to that possibility, but there is great disloyalty and emotion involved for a theist to do the same.

    Tammy

  • tec
    tec

    Sorry, I didn't read you last post before I posted again. Let me check it over.

  • tec
    tec

    I think I understand you. I agree that most atheists would be treating God as another scientific experiment - which is in line with what I said about no emotion or loyalty being involved.

    I was just trying to create a basic sort of understanding of how each side feels (certainty-wise).

    Tammy

  • agonus
    agonus

    Celestial Teapot

    hee hee hee

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